Pediatric Cardiology Patient Tori Downey
Minimally Invasive Surgery Repairs Heart Defect
When
seven-year-old Tori Downey was diagnosed with pneumonia, her parents
were frustrated but not overly worried. Tori was diagnosed with asthma
at age 6 and always had numerous respiratory illnesses each season. But
when Tori’s condition did not improve, her parents talked with her
pediatrician and asked for further tests. And her pediatrician diagnosed
as having a vascular ring, which is a heart defect that encircles and
restricts the breathing and swallowing passages.
Tori’s dad,
Steven, began calling his friends and combing the internet for experts
on the surgical treatment of vascular rings. He consulted doctors at
other top children’s hospitals, before e-mailing Brenner Children's
Hospital.
A representative responded within 30 minutes, Downey
said. “He explained things in terms we could understand and most
importantly, he gave us multiple treatment options – something the other
leading cardiothoracic surgeons in the Baltimore and D.C. area hadn’t
done.”
One of those options was to repair Tori’s congenital
defect using four small incisions on the side of her chest and using a
scope and specially-designed instruments to see and repair the defect.
This minimally-invasive or video-assisted procedure is only offered at a
handful of hospitals in the United States.
The procedure allows
the patient to go home the same day and back to normal activities within
two to three days. An open chest procedure would require that we make a
significantly larger incision in the side of the chest, spread the ribs
and open the child’s chest to complete the repair. It’s a much more
invasive procedure, requires a day in the intensive care unit, mush more
pain medication and considerable recovery time.
The Downeys
agreed that the minimally-invasive procedure would be worth the 12-hour
road trip from their home near Annapolis, Maryland.
Brenner
Children’s Hospital offers minimally-invasive procedures not found at
other children’s hospitals in the southeast. In addition,
pediatric-trained anesthesiologists, nurses and other staff are
specially trained in the care of children. The children’s surgery center
uses smaller equipment and is painted with child-friendly images to
keep children comfortable in a hospital setting.
The Downeys are hopeful that this winter won’t be a repeat of past cold and flu seasons.
“Tori’s
condition is rare but we were able to fix it without complications,”
Hines said. “I expect her to be healthier all around.”